There are known instruments used in the medical field for determining the body temperature of patients. These instruments include typically an elongate probe that includes at least one temperature sensitive element that is disposed within the interior of the probe. The probe is inserted into a body site of interest, such as the axilla, the mouth, the ear, the rectum or other medical target and the temperature is determined through resident circuitry based on the output of the temperature sensitive element, whether a thermocouple, thermistor, or other suitable transducer.
In order to prevent contamination between patients, a flexible cover or sheath is usually disposed onto the exterior of the elongate probe. This cover is a hollow plastic member that is disposable and is formed from a plastic molded material. Usually, the covers are made from either an injection molding or a fusion molding process and include a generally constant wall thickness which includes a latching ring that is used to engage a holding barb of the probe at an open proximal end of the probe cover and an ejection mechanism is used to release the cover when a temperature measurement procedure is completed. An issue that is common in the field is that users, in spite of the ejection mechanism, must often handle the covers in order to fully remove them from the apparatus or rely upon gravity to insure removal. Unlike dental probes, for example, the thermometry probe cover is actually part of the device and is part of the temperature measurement procedure. In addition, temperature probe covers are required to have greater rigidity to prevent tearing or contamination, depending on the body site to be measured.
There is a further issue in that probe covers are typically fabricated with a fixed wall thickness which is required for adequate stiffness to prevent accidental tearing, yet are adequately stiff to permit the probe to be pushed into the interior of the cover, having the cover engage with the probe and not ruin the probe cover. However, this factor produces additional thermal resistance in terms of measuring temperature in that the probe cover is disposed between the target of interest and the temperature sensing element of the apparatus.
There is a need in the field to devise a temperature probe cover which is more responsive to permit temperature readings to be taken without sacrificing time based on the differences between the thermal characteristics of the cover and the temperature probe.
There is a further need to provide a cover that does not require the user to have to handle the cover in order to remove the cover from the temperature measuring apparatus, therefore decreasing the chances for contamination.
There is yet a further need in the field to provide a temperature probe cover that does not permit reuse thereof after the cover has been used in connection with a temperature measurement procedure.